Floor brush



W. C. OTTO FLOOR BRUSH Oct. 24,-1939.

Filed March 14, 1938 R E V m W/zu/w 6. 0770. O /5km Zumzgr w A TTORNEY-iPatented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLOOR BRUSHApplication March 14,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a reversible floor brush.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a brush of theaforesaid character which is so 5 constructed that the same lengthbristles can be employed throughout and the bristles project laterallyat the ends of the brush and engage the surface to be sweptsubstantially from one I end to the other of the brushing bristle areaas 70 distinguished from a brush wherein the end bristles, if of equallength as the main bristles, and if inclined so as to project outwardlybeyond the brush body ends, leave a gap at the ends of the brush betweenthe bristle ends'and the surface to be swept. Stated in. another way,the object of the invention is to provide a brush, the sweeping area ofwhich is greater than that obtained, for example, with an 18" lengthstandard brush, and. the invention then is of 16" body character, aswill be more fully explained hereinafter.

The chief feature of the invention consists in constructing a brush ofthe character set forth, whereby the aforesaid object is accomplished.

Another object of the invention is to provide the brush with an adaptorat each end that in addition to functioning to accomplish the aforesaidobject has the further function of constituting a bumper or guardarrangement.

Another chief object of the invention is to provide a brush ofreversible character with suitable reenforcing means, whereby the handleto block or body connection is suitably reenforced and whichreenforcement is extended to serve as a scraper, permitting the brush tobe used for scraping from the surface to be brushed, objects that adherethereto and which normally are not removable by merely brushing thesurface.

Other objects and features will be more fully pointed out hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawing and the following description and claims.

In the drawing Fig.1 illustrates in front elevation a reversible brushembodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l and inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a modified form of brush body and thebristle supporting portion thereof and is taken in a plane correspondingto the plane indicated by the arrows and the letters AA in Fig. 1 and inthe direction of said arrows.

1938, Serial No. 195,758

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a brush wherein all the bristles are of thesame length and the bristles are arranged in tufts and each isassociated with a socket and is cemented or otherwise suitably securedin the socket. The form of the brush 5 shown in Fig. 3 is of the wireanchor type where the bristles are of substantially the same length butare doubled and bent back upon themselves, the midportion thereof at thebend being drawn with the retaining socket by wire means and the wirespassing from one socket or recess to another, as illustrated in saidfigure. The invention, as stated, may be applied to brushes, thebristles of which are secured to the brush body or block in either ofthese two standard methods of anchorage.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, It] indicates the main body portion ofa reversible brush, H the top portion thereof, the two portions beingsuitably secured together at spaced intervals by means of the centrallyand longitudinally aligned bolts l2 and nuts. The brush back-and by backit is intended to include the body portion l0 and the top Il--isenlarged as at l3. This enlarged portion is for strengthening purposes.

Midway between the ends of the brush back and oppositely and inwardlydirected, are the two threaded openings l4, each of which is adapted toreceive the threaded end l5 of an elongated handle IS. The openings [4are extended as at I1 into the brush body portion ID. The two threadedportions l4ll communicate with each other as at 18.

It will be recognized that in spite of the enlarged portion l3 that thebrush back at the anchoring portion is relatively weak, due to the dualopenings provided. Accordingly, there is provided a reenforcing memberin the form of the elongated plate l9 having an elongated opening l9a ofsomewhat elliptical character. This plate is seated in a recessed orrouted out portion 20 in the upper face of the body portion ID. The twoadjacent bolts l2 extend through openings 2| in the plate which registerwith the registering openings provided in the body portion and the topand which receive the bolts. Thus the reenforcing plate is rigidlysecured to the brush.

As shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the plate extends slightly beyond theenlarged portion of the brush body as at 22 and is further extended asat 23 downwardly and outwardly. This arrangement is duplicated onopposite sides of the metal plate, it being understood the brush back isof non-metallic character and usually the same of wood.

It will be apparent that whenever debris on a surface to be cleanedcannot be brushed therefrom, the brush may be inverted so that theformer front face lies approximately parallel to the surface to be sweptand this then permits the edge 24' of the reenforcing plate to engagethe surface to be cleaned for the scraping removal of the debris thatadheres to said surface with a force greater than that permitting brushremoval. Since the brush is of reversible character, the reenforcementand. scraper arrangement is duplicated at the front and back of thebrush, if such a reversible brush can be said to have a front and backand the plate device extension arrangement will serve as a scraper nomatter which threaded opening is occupied by the handle.

The reversible character of the brush is well known because the bristlesthrough use take a somewhat different set and certain bristles wear,thus the brushing faceof thebrush has localized wear. Providing thesecond opening permits of brush reversal and in effect doubles the lifeof the brush, as is well understood in the art.

As shown clearly in Fig. l, the brush body is recessed as at 3a which isits outer lower portion and there is provided an insert 3i, preferablyof hard rubber, and the same is suitably secured v pitch setting. a

32 having their heads nested or countersunk as at 33 in theupper facelila of the brush body H3, The bolts 32 secure the insert 3! to thebrush body by means of the nuts 3t seated in recesses 35. The adaptor 3!is enlarged laterally and projects beyond the end of the'brush and atclearly in Figs. 1 and 2. This projecting portion,

as it were, is of relatively soft material compared to wood, such asrubber and constitutes a bumper or guard arrangement.

In the type of bristle mounting illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it will benoted that the brush body is provided with recesses to and the groups ofbristles indicated by the numeral 4! are arranged in tuft formation andare received by the sockets 40, and are suitably cemented therein as at42. All of these bristles are of substantially the same length.

This type of mounting is commonly termed That illustrated in Fig. .3 mtermed wire drawing.

The advantage of using the former is that the free ends of the bristlesare broken or split and this is the flag effect so highly desired.

One economic advantage of the invention now to be described, is thatbristles of 3%" to 4 are relatively cheaper than bristles of 5", 6", or7 in length in proportion to such length.

The adaptor 3'! in Fig. 1 is shown provided with sockets 43 whichreceive tufts of bristles 44, the'sarne being cementitiously oradhesively secured in said sockets as at $5. However, the sockets 63'are inclined in two directions outwardly for the tufts therein toproject beyond the end of the brush and outwardly so as to projectbeyond the sides of the brush. The lower face of the adaptor 3| isinclined downwardly as at 25 for a purpose to be mentioned and if desired, a portion thereof is inclined upwardly as at G1.

The effect of the aforesaid is that the end bristle tufts which are ofsubstantially the same length as the main portion of bristle tufts ofthe brush, will be'so positioned that the ends engage the surface to beswept at a point a considerable distance remote from the end of thebrush. This is because the unit length bristles of the tufts areprogressively lowered with reference to the lower plane of the brushbody indicated by Nib. It will be quite apparentsee Fig. l, the dottedline BB-that if the adaptor were not provided and the sockets wereinclined in a corresponding manner as the same are formed in saidadaptor, the ends of the bristles would terminate along the line 313 andin that event the length of the sweeping area of the brush would bematerially less than that herein illustrated. In Fig. 3 there isillustrated a modified form of the invention and herein of the wire tiedtype. Numerals of the one hundred series, similar to numerals of theprimary series, employed in Figs. 1 and 2, designate like or equivalentparts.

The brush body is indicated by the numeral liil. It has the upper faceMile. The same includes the enlarged portion H3 intermediate its endsand this enlarged portion is provided with two oppositely inclinedthreaded openings II! for selective handle reception, said openingscommunicatingor merging with each other as at H8. The body portionherein is so provided with bores 26% which receive the bristle tufts [4iand these are united together by wire means and the wire passes frombore to bore as indicated at Hi2. This disclosure represents the otherstandard form of bristle brush construction. Herein the body'portionintermediate its ends is channeled or recessed as at l20 for reenforcingand scraper plate reception, the holes l E20, being adapted to receivethe bolts comparable to the bolts 52 immediately adjacent the bores 64as shown in Fig. 1. Either form of bristle mounted construction may beutilized.

If desired, see Fig. 1, in place of the relatively detachable mountingfor the adaptor 3i, there maybe provided rivets or other suitableanchoring means.

Whenever it is desired to reenforce the handle anchoring portion of thebrush back, the brush back need not be parted as indicated at Na, inwhich event. the, bolts employed. When this type of an arrangement isprovided, then the bolts 32 extend from the top surface Nb of the brushback through the brush back and into the adaptor 3!.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detailin the drawing and foregoing description, the same is to be consideredas illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which willreadily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all areconsidered to be within the broad scope of the invention, referencebeing had to the appended claims.

' The invention claimed is:

1. In a brush, the combination of a multi-layer brush back, including apair of oppositely inclined and merging apertures therein for selectivereception of the handle and a plate secured between the layers of theback and having an elongated aperture registering with both backapertures.

2. A brush including a back having a substantially flat face and aplurality of bristle tufts, the bristles of each tuft being ofsubstantially the same length and the tufts being of substantially thesame length, and means at the end of the brush and secured to thebackforming a face directed angularly to the back face for flaring l2 andnuts. are not the unit length tufts supported thereby into coplanarposition, said tufts being supported by said means and said back.

3. A brush as defined by claim 2, characterized by the means projectingoutwardly at the end and at opposite sides adjacent the end of the backand of cushion material for guard purposes.

4. A brush including a multiple layer back I structure, a handle securedto the upper portion thereof, a back reenforcing member secured to I theback and between the last mentioned layers and having a conformationconforming to the back structure handle mounting portion adjacent thehandle anchorage for reenforcement thereof, and a plurality of bristletufts suitably secured to the back structure and of equal length, theend tufts having an outwardly and inclined relationship and secured. tothe back structure in progressively offset relationship for bristle endcoplanar relationship substantially as described.

5. A brush including a multiple layer back structure, a handle securedto the upper portion thereof, a back reenforcing member secured to theback and between the last mentioned layers and having a conformationconforming to the back structure handle mounting portion adjacent thehandle anchorage for reenforcement thereof, and a plurality of bristletufts suitably secured to the back structure and of equal length, theend tufts having an outwardly and inclined relationship and secured tothe back structure in progressively offset relationship for bristle endcoplanar relationship substantially as described, the back structureincluding at the end a projecting cushion portion for guard purposes.

WILLIAM C. OTTO.

